Fowl-plucking machine



Aug. 13, 1935. N. A. HARRISON FOWL PLUCKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1952 2 SheetsSheot l LAM-Hi4- INVENTOR. M .4 M

1935- Q N. A. HARRISON 2,010,988

FOWL PLUCKING MACHINE Filed Oct. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (iiiQ INVENTORQ .ViCB, the fan and driving Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES PAT EN T OFFICE -FowL-PLUCKING MACHINE Norman A.Harris on, Port Chester, N. Y.- Application October 25, 1932, Serial No. 639,414

7 Claims.

My. invention relates to improvements in fowl plucking machines and more particularly to small, light-weight power driven, hand machines, capable of sustained high speed and provided with an air suction stream directly behind the plucking means, the said plucking means operating in compartment that is divided from, yet contained within, the housing containing the operating mechanism} The object 'of my inventionis to provide a small compact mechanism capable of extremely high speeds for this class of work inasmuch as one-of the present objections to machines of this i type :is a slowly operating plucking mechanism of cumbersome proportions consequently reducing materially the efficiency of such a device. .It is the object 'of my invention to provide a small device capable'of being propelled by hand in and about the iratherbroken contours of fowl, it being ordinarily difficult to effectivelyreach such "places as underneath the wings and legs.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device with a minimum number of parts of light weight, making it possible to partly rest the de vice on thevrfowl while operating and thereby reducing the fatigue of the operator to a minimum. i a

' view of this fact it is also arranged to drive the device through a flexible sha'ft connected to a motor which is remote from the device and like manner the air suction stream is also applied through a flexible hose which is in turn connected to a "suction "fan 'remote from the detogether as one unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide an efficient plucking means capable ofplucking a variable amount of'fea'thers at any time and with the plucking means so arranged as to be somewhat removed from the driving means and in such a position in relation to the fowl that a direct air suction stream can function to expedite the removal of feathers without any hindrance whatsoever.

It willbe appreciated that a device of this sort .must bekept sanitary and with the arrangement and the passageway and plucking fingers can be immersed in. boiling water without also immersing the operating mechanism, thereby affording efficient sanitary protection.

motor being coupled I attain these objects by means ;of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: p

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation on the line l-l .Fig. 1. it a Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line, Fig.1..

4 is a partial sectional plan View on the line 4-4 Fig. 1. V

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectionalplan view of the plucking fingers on the line 5-5 Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 isa detailed sectional view of the plucking finger reciprocating link on'the line 6-5 Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a' detailed elevation of one of the heartshaped cams, yoke and slide block for opcrating one of the plucking fingers. V V

Fig. 8 is a bottom elevation showing the bottom closing and comb plate.

Referring to Figures 1,2, 3, 4 and 5, I is the main housingfo-r the entire mechanism which has the bottom and one side open for assembling purposes, the bottom being closed by the comb plate 2 fastened with screws 3 (Fig. 8), and the side being enclosed by the plate 4 fastened with the screws 5 into bosses on the insideof the housing I.

The housing I and the plateA have bosses cast integral on them to provide bearings and bearing supports for the shafts 6, l, 8 and 9. The housing I also has cast integral with it the hand-grip l0 and a cylindrical extention H to which is attached a flexible hose 12 through which the feathers are carried away. The hose 1-2 connects with a suction fan remote from the machine, through which the feathers pass and are ejected into a bag, not shown.

The comb plate 2 has formed in it a series of alternately long and short fingersor teeth [3 (Fig. 8) through the spaces between which the feathers are drawn by the air suction stream as shown in Fig. 1. 'These teeth are curved inward and upward asshown inFig. 1 so as to prevent the ends or points from projecting into and tearing the flesh of the fowl as the device is guided over the body during the plucking operation. 'It will be noted that the housing I is cut well away in the front where it contacts the long teeth I3 of the comb and that the teeth of the comb are curved we'll'upward and away from the body of the fowl; the object of this being to maintain ample 'air space and exclude the possibility of feathers choking ofithe suction area.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 5, the gripper finger or plate 1 4 extends downwardly and almost touches the teethlS of the comb 2 when in the down position and is supported by the rods I5 which in turn are supported and guided by the opposing plucking plate and arm I6. The plate I4 is held against shoulders turned on the rods i5 by the springs H, the springs El being retained on fine rods 55 by the nuts IS. The object of the springs ii is to permit the plate M to adjust itself automatically to varying amounts of feathers drawn through the comb by the air suction stream.

The opposite ends of the rods 55 are so shaped to receive the pins I9 and on these pins are carried the oscillating blocks 29. The blocks 28 are free to oscillate on the pins i8 and also to slide in the cam yoke 2| (Figures 1, 2, 3 and 7), through which the rods i5 and plate M receive the oscillating motion necessary to bring the plate Hi to and from the plate l6 and grip the feathers between them.

In Fig. 7 is shown in detail the cam yoke 2| together with the oscillating block 20 which is retained within the forked end 22 of the cam yoke H. The opposite end of the cam yoke 2! is fulcrumed on the shaft E5 and is free to oscillate on the said shaft, this oscillating motion being derived from the single lobed cams 23, there being two of these cams mounted on the shaft 9, Figures 1 and 3, and corresponding with these cams are two cam yokes 24, blocks 26, etc. as clearly shown. Referring again to Fig. '7 the cam yoke 2! has out within it a rectangular Opening 24 within which operates the single lobed cam 23 mounted on the shaft 9. The single lobed cam 23 is so designed as to be at all times in contact with the sides of the cam yoke 2i and as the shaft 9 and the cam 23 are rotated an oscillating motion is imparted to the cam yoke 25 and this in turn is transmitted to the blocks 2i], the rods i5 and the platev Id thereby furnishing the necessary action for gripping the feathers.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 5, the arm I6 is fulcrumed on the shaft 8 and is free to oscillate in a vertical direction to impart a pulling or plucking motion to the plucking fingers. This plucking motion is derived from the link 25, came yoke 26 and the single lobed cam 21 mounted on the shaft 9, the cam yoke 26 is fulcrumed on the shaft '1 and is free to oscillate thereon.

The single lobed cam 21 is of the same shape and design as the cams 23 but placed in a plane approximately 180 degrees around from them, and is on the same shaft 9 and in juxtaposition between the cams 23. 'When the shaft is rotated the same action takes place on the cam yoke 26 as on the cam yokes 2! but in a vertical direction from which is derived the pulling action for plucking the feathers.

As the arm l6 and plate M are oscillated in a vertical direction the blocks 20 are free to slide in a vertical direction in the guide 22 in the cam yoke 2 l.

Referring to Fig. 3, the shaft 9 is supported by a ball bearing 28 mounted in the housing I on one end and the other end is supported by a ball bearing 28 mounted in the plate 4; from this end which projects through the plate t is attached a flexible drive shaft the other end of which is connected to an electric motor, not shown, remote from the plucking device.

Fig. 6 shows a detailed View of the vertically oscillating link 25 and its connections, a pin 30 is inserted in the arm i6 and through one end of the link 25 before the rods i5 are assembled, the rods I5 serving as a retaining means for the pins 30, the other end of the link 25 is slotted to receive the end of the cam yoke 26 and a pin 3| is inserted through both members and securely fastened in part 25.

On shaft 6 are placed the spacers 32 and 33 to retain the cam yokes 2! in their correct position. Likewise on shaft l are placed the spacers 34 to maintain the position of the cam yoke 26.

In Fig. 1 is shown the elevated position of the plucking fingers in dot and dash lines with the plucking fingers in the closed position and. ready to release the feathers contained therein.

From the foregoing it will be evident that due to the novel construction and arrangement of the cams and linkages there is no lost motion in the device, which produces a smooth continuous action capable of extremely high speed, light weight and consequent ease of handling.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or of the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a feather plucking device, a gripper arm, a plate slidably mounted thereon and movable endwise thereof, means to move said plate to grasp a clump of feathers, a yieldable connection between said plate and arm, and means to move the gripper arm to extract the clump of feathers.

2. In a feather plucking device, a gripper arm, rods slidably mounted within said arm, a gripper plate carried by said rods, means to move said rods and gripper plate to grasp a clump of feathers between said gripper plate and gripper arm, and means to move said arm to extract said clump of feathers.

3. In a feather plucking device, a support member, a gripper arm pivotally mounted upon said support, a gripper plate slidably mounted on said gripper arm, means to move said gripper plate to grasp a clump of feathers between same and the gripper arm, and means to rock said gripper arm around its pivot to extract the said clump of feathers.

4. In a feather plucking device, a support member, a gripper member pivotally mounted upon said support comprising a vise-like structure and including a relatively stationary jaw portion and a slidable jaw portion, means to close said slidable jaw upon the stationary jaw to grasp a clump of feathers therebetween, and means to rock the entire gripper member around its pivot to extract the clump of feathers.

5. In a feather plucking device, a gripper arm, a plate slidably mounted thereon and endwise thereof, a driving member, means to connect said driving member with the plate to move same into clamping relation with the end of the arm and means to connect said driving member with the gripper arm to move said arm after said plate is in a clamping position.

6. In a feather plucking device, a support, a gripper arm pivotally mounted upon said support, a gripper plate slidably mounted upon said arm and in an endwise relation thereto, a driving member, means to connect said driving memher with the plate to move same into clamping relation with the end of the arm, and means to connect said .driving member with the gripper arm to rock same around its pivot after said gripper plate is in a clamping position.

7. In a feather plucking device, a support, a gripper arm pivotally mounted upon said support, a gripper plate slidably mounted upon said arm and in an endwise relation thereto, a drive shaft rotatably mounted within said support, one rocker member pivotally mounted on said support and in driving relation with said gripper arm, a pair of rocker members pivotally mounted on said support and in driving relation with said gripper plate, and cams on said drive shaft in driving relation with each of said rocker members, whereby the gripper plate may be moved into a clamping relation with the gripper arm and the gripper arm may be rocked around its pivot after said gripper plate is in a clamping position.

NORMAN A. HARRISON. 

